Aria couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
The Shadowlands were silent—too silent. The pack had become more tense in recent days, as though they were anticipating something. Even the alpha seemed to be on edge, his usual indifference replaced by a subtle undercurrent of unease.
It was during the next full moon that Aria realized just how dangerous things were becoming.
She was in the woods again, training with the alpha. His movements were fluid, his power overwhelming. But even as she struggled to keep up with him, her mind wandered to the mysterious feeling gnawing at the edges of her thoughts.
Something was coming.
Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet trembled. Aria's breath caught in her throat, her instincts screaming at her to run. But before she could react, the alpha's hand shot out, grabbing her arm with a vice-like grip.
"Stay close," he ordered, his voice low and commanding.
Aria didn't have time to question him. The trees around them shook violently, and a distant growl echoed through the night. She glanced at the alpha, confusion and fear in her eyes.
"What's happening?" she demanded, her heart pounding in her chest.
"They've come," he muttered, his eyes dark with an emotion she couldn't quite place.
Before she could ask anything else, the first of the enemy wolves appeared, emerging from the shadows like ghosts. They were dark—darker than anything she had ever seen, with eyes that glowed a sickly green.
Aria's blood ran cold as the wolves circled them. They were nothing like the pack she had come to know. These creatures exuded malice and hunger, their presence suffocating.
The alpha stood firm, his muscles tense, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.
"Get behind me," he ordered.
But Aria didn't move. Something inside her stirred, a power she hadn't known she possessed. The mark on her skin burned brighter, pulsing with energy. She could feel it—feel the connection between her and the alpha.
"I can help," she whispered, her voice shaky.
The alpha glanced at her, his eyes filled with something unreadable. "Stay back," he commanded, but his voice lacked the usual conviction.
Before either of them could act, the enemy wolves lunged. The night erupted into chaos. Aria barely had time to react as the first wolf bared its teeth and charged toward her. But before it could reach her, a dark blur streaked across her vision—the alpha, moving with deadly speed.
He tore through the enemy with brutal efficiency, his strength and power overwhelming. But there were too many of them. Aria could hear the clash of teeth, the growls, the snapping of bones, but all she could focus on was the power surging through her veins, the connection to the alpha that burned hotter with every passing second.
She felt it—she could feel the energy building inside her, the ancient magic that had been dormant for so long, awakening in response to the threat.
Suddenly, without thinking, Aria stepped forward. Her hand shot out, and the air around her seemed to crackle with power. The wolves nearest to her recoiled, snarling, but they hesitated.
The alpha's gaze flicked to her, his eyes wide in shock. "No—stop!"
But it was too late. The magic that had been stirring inside her exploded, and the forest around them seemed to tremble. The enemy wolves were thrown back by the force of it, snarling and yelping in pain.
When the dust settled, the wolves lay motionless on the ground, and Aria was left standing in the center of the clearing, her chest heaving with exertion.
The silence that followed was deafening. Aria stared at her hands, still trembling with the aftershock of what had just happened. She hadn't meant to do that. She had no idea what she had just unleashed.
The alpha approached slowly, his face hard as stone. His eyes flicked from her to the fallen wolves, then back to her.
"You're dangerous," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You should never have done that."
Aria opened her mouth to respond, but her words faltered. What had just happened? What was she?
"You're more than you realize," the alpha murmured, almost to himself. "And that's what makes you so dangerous."